>
>>
>>48 / 2(9+3)
>>24 / (9+3)
>>24 / (12)
>>24 / 12
>>2
>
>why is the division sign still there *after* you divided the
>48 by 2 and got to 24?

You can look at 48 as being 2*24. Then you can cancel the 2's from the top and the bottom.